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Mon late: Sir Walter's Day
posted at 2009-02-03 01:02 | Last modified 2009-02-03 01:43
It’s hard to write anything light-hearted tonight after learning about the loss of Jim Long. And calling his death a loss isn’t just good manners, either. (Ever wonder why NC has the fifth-lowest car insurance rates in the country?)
Long was always good for a comment -- often unprintable, but always wickedly funny and on the mark. He was one of my favorite people to cover in all of state government. My heart goes out tonight to his beloved wife, Peg, and his children.
Still, anyone who knew the “oldest rat in the barn,” as Long called himself, knows how much he loved a good laugh. So in that spirit…
Meet Mortimer
Today’s Groundhog Day festivities at the NC Natural History Museum featured a new star – Mortimer – in the role of Sir Walter Wally. Despite the forecast of six more weeks of winter, it wasn’t a bad debut, though not devoid of the odd diva-worthy moment.
Educational Curator Kara Wouk said the former Wally has “retired” to spend more time with his family. No, that’s not a euphemism – as far as she knows, he’s enjoying his golden years at his home in Beech Mountain. Wouk didn’t want to speak ill of the outgoing star, but her comments implied that advancing age had done little to sweeten his disposition. She was hopeful Mortimer’s experience as a touring educator would work in his favor.
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Like his predecessor, Mortimer arrived with a retinue. His caretaker, Kindra Mammone, is executive director of Claws, Inc. in Chapel Hill. When he’s not on the road, he lives in her house with his best friends: a kinkajou, a skunk, and a fox.
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Mammone says Mortimer’s pet peeve is being cooped up. He proved it by repeatedly breaking out of his cardboard enclosure before today’s ceremony. He kept sticking his furry little head out, much to the amusement of the dignitaries on stage with him.
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When it came down to showtime, though, Mortimer was a pro. Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, who apparently speaks Groundhog like a Trekkie speaks Klingon, had no trouble deciphering the new kid’s message.
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Afterward, Mammone said she thought Mortimer’s debut as the new Wally went really well.
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Well, except for the photo op. After the prediction, Mortimer had to pose with top-hatted MC John Connors for photos with kids. The children didn’t get to pet him, which turned out to be an inspired choice. The young rodent forecaster was over the whole “adoring public” thing and was itching to get back to sleep, and Connors bore the brunt of it. Mortimer tried to burrow into his tux, then tried to eat the tux, and then took a nip at Connors for good measure. (Ah, the glamorous life of a science teacher!) Still and all, Connors gave him a pretty good review.
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Little known facts I learned today about groundhogs:
- Groundhogs rarely range more than 50 feet from their burrows. As educator Kari Wouk put it, they’re “kinda pudgy and probably pretty tasty to a predator, and they don’t have very many other defenses other than that they can scamper very quickly into their burrow, where they can get away from any predator.” (I’m not sure what it says about me that I can relate to that.)
- They’re lucky to make it 2 years in the wild, but can live 12 or more in captivity.
- They’re related to squirrels, and highly prone to dandruff. (Zoom in on the Connors photo above.)
- As a franchise, Sir Walter Wally has a better track record at 55% than either Punxsatawney Phil OR Gen. Beauregard Lee. So there -- and sorry about the six more weeks.
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